


Now That I’m Older

by orphan_account



Category: IT (2017)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Best Friends, Boys Kissing, M/M, Stozier, i wrote this four days after watching cmbyn n i’m Soft, my boys deserve love, they’re both 19 in this
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-01-05
Updated: 2018-01-05
Packaged: 2019-02-28 05:31:24
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,251
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13264716
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: Richie pulled him closer by his intertwined hand and pressed a soft kiss onto his cheek. Stan blinked in shock.“Wha—”“I think I’m in love with you.”It’s Richie’s 19th birthday.





	Now That I’m Older

**Author's Note:**

> guys...i’ve dissected like every single part of this literally 100 times n i’m probably never going to be satisfied with it so i’m just gonna upload it and look back on it later. this took me approximately three nights to write bc i suck and writing is Hard.  
> also sorry if the characters seem a little ooc but richie can b anxious and stan can b soft ok theyre just human
> 
> enjoy

Richie studied the New Order vinyl in his hands, beaming.

“Stan, I love this. Thank you.” He carefully placed the record on his nightstand before turning around and wrapping his arms around Stan’s shoulders. Stan chuckled softly and hugged him back, letting Richie press his face into his neck.

“I’m glad you like it. Sorry I couldn’t get you something better,” he murmured against Richie’s soft curls. Richie pulled back immediately, grasping Stan’s hands in his own.

“What? No, no I love it, Stanny. I’m serious,” Richie said, brushing his thumbs across Stan’s palms reassuringly. Stan grinned and looked down.

“Okay. Great.”

Richie squeezed his hands gently before getting up and walking towards the other side of his room. He lifted the lid of his record player and Stan watched as he flipped through his collection of vinyls before pulling one out and placing the record onto the platter. He fiddled with the stylus briefly before gesturing for Stan to join him as Radiohead’s _You and Whose Army?_ began playing through the speakers. 

“I like this song,” he said, tapping his finger along the side of Richie’s pitch black turntable.

“I know. That’s why I put it on.” Richie smiled. Stan felt him shift closer. 

Richie spoke again, in a softer tone. “Today’s been awesome, you know. Bill told me that you were secretly worrying about me not having a good birthday, but it’s been fucking great. Everyone got me great gifts and made me feel special; Eddie got me those shoes, Beverly baked me a sheet cake, Mike got me new motorcycle gloves. Plus, I’m getting to spend the rest of the evening with my angel of a best friend.”

Stan turned his head to look at Richie. “I’m still your best friend?”

Richie snorted. “Of course you are, Stanyard. I mean, you’re all my best friends, but you’re my _mega_ best friend. Big difference,” he emphasized the _big_ by raising his hands and making a “this much” gesture.

“I’m relieved. But also not, ‘cause you like to annoy me the most,” Stan paused to lick his chapped lips. 

Then, quietly he added, “Richie, you’re really close.”

Richie made a subtle jerking-movement before stepping back. “Shit, I didn’t realize. I’m sorry,” he apologized, almost a foot farther away from him than he was a second ago.

“No, it’s okay. I wasn’t saying that because...Rich, is everything okay?” Stan asked tentatively. He noticed that Richie was scratching at his hand, something he only did when he was feeling anxious or antsy. He quickly reached forward and grabbed it. “Don’t...don’t scratch. Talk to me if something’s up.”

Richie looked up at him. His cheeks were blotchy and he looked almost pained all of a sudden. He closed his eyes and Stan heard him mutter, “Fuck, I can’t believe I’m doing this.”

Stan just stood there, confused. Then Richie pulled him closer by his intertwined hand and pressed a soft kiss onto his cheek. Stan blinked in shock.

“Wha—”

“I think I’m in love with you.”

Richie’s eyes were closed behind his glasses. Stan looked at him; saw the slight smudge on one of his lenses and the dark freckles that scattered all over his pale face. He felt like the breath was being sucked out of him slowly. He swallowed. “Rich.”

“I’m sorry,” Richie breathed out before pulling away. “I fucked up. You came over, gave me a gift that I really love, and now I’ve dumped this shit on you and probably made things awkward between us.” Richie ran a hand through his hair, looking deeply afflicted. Stan remained still, continuing to analyze the situation and understand what the hell was happening. 

Then he took in Richie’s distressed state. Without needing to think, he blurted, “I love you, Rich. There’s no fucking way things could ever be awkward or weird between us. We’ve been friends since second grade. We went through puberty together, and we’ve dealt with each other’s shit for years. You were my first real kiss,” he paused. “And you’re my best friend, dumbass. I love you no matter what.” 

Richie bit his lip and smiled hesitantly. “Yeah, I know. I love you too. And fuck, I know I shouldn’t say this right now but I really want to kiss you,” he admitted, letting out a breathy laugh. Stan felt his heartbeat stutter at the statement. _Knives Out_ was now playing gently from the speakers, and Stan thought for a moment before stepping forward and cupping Richie’s face in his hands. Richie stiffened and met his eyes for a second before Stan leaned up and pressed their lips together momentarily.

When he pulled back, Richie was looking at him with his lips parted and eyebrows furrowed in question. Stan thought for a moment that he might’ve done the wrong thing, but then Richie leaned down and caught his lips with his own. His hands came up to cup Stan’s jaw and cheek and he kissed him tenderly, brain buzzing with warning, or want, or a mixture of both. Stan’s pulse fluttered wildly as he reached up and placed his hand against the warm skin of Richie’s neck, softly kissing back. It was a strange sensation; he hadn’t kissed that many people since their shared kiss in freshman year. Given, the first time was out of pure curiosity and this one contained actual feeling. Nevertheless, he let himself revel in the way Richie’s fingers felt in his hair and on his skin. It was new and intimate and strange, but good. 

He felt a small dip in his belly when Richie’s teeth grazed over his bottom lip before slotting their lips back together. He made a faint sound and Richie pulled back, asking, “Is this okay?”

Stan nodded. Richie’s breath was hot on his mouth. “It’s more than okay.” He shut his eyes and almost laughed at how bizarre the situation was. “I think I’m actually a little turned on.”

Richie’s lips quirked up. He shrugged. “I’m ninety-percent sure I have a boner right now. I’ve been thinking about doing this for ages,” he muttered with a hazy grin. His cheeks were flushed, and his lips were an impossible shade of red. Stan was more than a little turned-on. 

“This doesn’t mean we’re dating or anything, but…” Stan reached up and gently removed Richie’s glasses from his face. “I think we should get these out of the way.”

Richie bit his lip, mumbling, “I can’t see anything.” 

Stan set Richie’s glasses down on the nightstand next to his record. 

“You don’t need to. Just feel.” He leaned forward and kissed Richie softly, breathing against his mouth when he felt Richie’s hands slide up and grip his waist. Richie applied gentle pressure to his lips and Stan parted them, melting when Richie’s teeth and tongue brushed over the tender curve of his lower lip.

They kissed through almost two more tracks until Richie stopped them, pulling away and muttering, “If we don’t stop right now, I’m seriously gonna bust.”

Stan grimaced. Richie’s hands were up his shirt. “Don’t say that.”

“What? I said bust—“

“Yeah, don’t.”

He leaned up and dragged his lips against the side of Richie’s face teasingly, before pressing a soft kiss onto his ear. “Happy birthday, Rich.”

Richie smiled and dragged him closer to his chest so he could press his lips against Stan’s warm forehead. “I’m super in love with you.”

“Yeah?”

“Totally. I don’t know what I’m gonna do. You’ve fucking ruined me.”

**Author's Note:**

> my tumblr is drunktozier!!


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